CODE 2, VOL 33, NO 1 : 18 january 2019

Please be aware that the public holiday arrangements relevant to your work roster will apply to Monday 28 January 2019 only (they will not apply to Saturday 26 January 2019).

Saturday 26 January 2019 is an ordinary work day and the relevant pay rates will be the same as any other Saturday in the year.

This comes from the Holidays Act 1983 (the Holidays Act), which states that the Australia Day Public Holiday is to be observed on ‘the following Monday’ when 26 January falls on a Saturday or Sunday. It is also confirmed by the Queensland Government here.

You may recall that prior to the implementation of the modern award, the public holiday entitlements for Australia Day were always tied to the actual date (January 26).

To save any confusion, the introduction of the modern award did not diminish any entitlements for the Australia Day Public Holiday. Unlike for Christmas and New Year’s, the Australia Day Public Holiday is only observed on one day and there is no additional public holiday if it falls on a Saturday or Sunday (it is simply ‘moved’ to ‘the following Monday’). The QIRC amended the modern award to align it with the Queensland Employment Standards (which refer to the Holidays Act). In practical terms this means your entitlement was simply redefined to apply on the relevant day prescribed in the Holidays Act rather than always on 26 January.

As always, there is the possibility that errors may be made by QFES and/or Queensland Shared Services (QSS) in regard to your wages for the Australia Day Public Holiday.

If an error is made, in the first instance, please ensure you raise the issue with your regional HR contact as soon as possible.

If seeking assistance please ensure you provide your local UFUQ representative with the appropriate evidence for your claim, including the reasons provided to you by HR (preferably in writing) as to why your claim has not been accepted.

John Oliver - General Secretary

Authorised by John Oliver General Secretary United Firefighters' Union of Australia, Union of Employees QLD